Betsy DeVos was confirmed yesterday, but we gave her the narrowest confirmation in history because people like you flooded your senators' phone lines with opposition. Now that we have a Secretary of Education who is perfectly fine with guns in schools, we're doubling down on our fight to defeat the NRA's "guns everywhere" agenda. It's a fight we can't afford to lose -- our kids' safety depends on it. -- Isaac Bloom P.S. Read more from Shannon below about what DeVos's confirmation means for our movement. From: Shannon Watts, Everytown for Gun Safety Date: February 7, 2017 Subject: We flooded their phone lines In just 24 hours, supporters like you made almost forty thousand calls demanding your senators block Betsy DeVos's confirmation as Secretary of Education. But despite the unprecedented outpouring of alarm from people like you, DeVos was confirmed this afternoon in the narrowest confirmation process in history. DeVos said she is perfectly fine with Trump's proposal to force guns into our schools, and right now Congress is considering legislation that would do just that. But this time, our leaders are ready to go to the mat to fight this extremely dangerous policy every step of the way. It's going to be an uphill battle, but with the support of people like you, we will win. Tens of thousands of you spoke out to oppose this extremely dangerous nomination. And despite the fact that an overwhelming majority of Americans oppose guns in schools, Congress is still considering legislation that would ban gun-free school zones. Here's what Senator Chris Murphy had to say about that: "If people thought the DeVos nomination created a tempest of fury from teachers and parents, the amount of outrage produced by repealing the Gun Free School Zones legislation would make what happened on DeVos look like a picnic." [1] That's exactly right. Congress needs to learn that they work for us, the American people -- not the corporate gun lobby and the craven leadership over at the NRA. We are working tirelessly to hold Congress accountable when they flagrantly disregard the will of American families and put our kids at risk. We needed 51 votes in the Senate to block DeVos's confirmation, but we'll only need 41 to block guns-in-schools legislation if our champions invoke the filibuster. So we are sure as hell going to hold the line, but we need to know that concerned citizens like you have our backs. Stand with us in the weeks and months ahead and prevent the NRA's vision for a gun in every classroom from becoming a terrifying reality. Thank you, Shannon Watts Founder Moms Demand Action for Gun Sense in America
Constituents who take an active involvement in exercising their voting franchise, by contacting their senators and congressional representatives, ought not be seen as a bad thing. Would that more constituents who favour the extermination of grizzly bears in schools, (even in Hawaii), flooded their Senator's 'phone lines to say that they were totally relaxed about allowing highly stressed teachers in schools, packing heat....it would sure sort out some minor classroom disciplinary problems quick smart.
40,000 calls? That's it? Country of 300+ million perhaps 1/3 is of voting age and all there were was 40,000? Well, beat your drums and wave your waves but personally I'm not impressed. I think armed teachers are start but what I want to see if every person of sound mind armed and trained. I think people on this forum would be astounded how many people are constantly armed here in Idaho and more so since we passed the new Constitutional Carry law last July. Hell, even before the law. You see them in Walmart and Home Depot and etc. - everywhere - and that's just the ones you can see not ones like me that carry concealed. And, violent crime is low, people polite and its a good place to live.
Two things. 1) Maybe we need someone totally different than the previous educational professionals as Sec'y of Ed...look what our previous ones got us into and 2) how many kids have died from school shootings that could have been prevented if the teacher or "resource" officer had been armed? Time for a change. Kajun
Kajun is on the right track. So much for less gun free killing grounds. Now let us discuss why the kids are there. Not for political leftist, socialist, brainwashing, and the rewriting of history. We lag the educated world almost across the board in all areas of education. That is what now needs to change. To hell with common core! How about mandatory civics and current events (no I am not talking about who Katy Perry is screwing or the latest Kardashian sex tape), American history, World history, Government basics as per the US Citizenship test, English as a primary language written and oral. Math, Sciences, Information technology, Foreign Language, Advanced placement and testing, IQ testing at various stages of schooling. Breaking the NEA if necessary. Realistic teacher evaluations. there is tons I have left out. Not necessarily on purpose, I am not an educator. Parents should be welcome as visitors via advance notice or walk in in an emergency situation via the school office. Not to interfere or disturb but to observe and take notes to discuss anything with the school administration they feel needs to be addressed.
The ones howling around here are the Teacher Unions. DeVos is all about choice. Tried of that lazy ass teacher preaching hate against your way of life? Use a voucher and go to another school! The local Catholic high school does so much better on testing, college attendance and many other measures of education that it truly beggars the imagination. All this with a teaching staff that gets paid about 1/2 of the PS types. Long past time to wrest control away from these lefties....
"Packing heat" in schools here in the Republic of Texas has always gone on both by teachers and in days long gone by students. The parking lot at my school both in and out of hunting season would see many pickups with rifles in the back window. Hard to see into a closed trunk of all the cars. As far as teachers packing I knew of one coach and our ag. teacher who did. And if any teacher was going to shoot students,...well, you would just have to have been in my shop class. Even in the last few years teachers have been armed. Check out Harrold, Texas for one that made the news. I do believe it is and was more in rural areas though. And we don't have any grizzly bears roaming around. Wild hogs are a problem so we probably only need .44 mags.
It's a darned shame to see otherwise intelligent people confuse our inherent human right to defend ourselves by the most effective means as a "guns everywhere" policy.
Yep, all the NEA Thugs, are seeing their Power Base slipping away, and they are in a Panic Mode.... Good for them.... I have "No Truck" with such folks.....
Like Oldawg, it was nothing to see guns in the racks in the parking lot when I went to school. As far as Devos goes, it's high time we got some new ideas because the system we have now ain't working for crap.
This is the ugly truth the establishment still can't get their po widdle heads around...doing the same thing over and over again, expecting a different result each time, is insanity, not sound public policy.